Publication of Clan Uisdean USA, Inc. • Jim McQuiston, historian ...

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McQuiston, McQuistion, McQuesten, McQuestion, McCuiston, McCuistion, and other related names

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Publication of Clan Uisdean USA, Inc. ? Jim McQuiston, historian ? jaemmeasial-msckqyuei2s@tone@artghmlinaikl..ncoetm ? February 2008

Guilford Gold

Left to right - Leona McQuiston and her tremendous work of family genealogy, published in 1937, and Carleen Daggett and her book Noah McCuistion, published in 1975. Both books told of Guilford Gold!

Much of the McUisdean family legacy, taking place during the days of Colonial America, surrounds a story of a treasure will, and a day when Lord Cornwallis, leader of the British troops in America, and Andrew Jackson, future President of the United States, both came to the home of Thomas and Ann (Moody) McCuistion of Guilford County, North Carolina ? both men concerned with a keg of gold belonging to our family. Andy was said to have helped bury the treasure and Cornwallis was said to have torn the house apart looking for it.

The treasure, it is told, was left by Alexander McCuistion to the children of Hugh and Ann Fleming, in Ireland, and to three daughters of Thomas and Jean Moody. Ann Fleming was a sister to the 1735 immigrants, Robert McCuiston, and Thomas and James McCuistion, and to Alexander. Jean Moody was the daughter of Benjamin McCuistion, another brother to the immigrants ? one who had stayed in Ireland.

Part of the treasure was originally intended for Margery, another sister to the immigrants, but was somehow diverted to the Moody girls.

There are actually five indicators that a treasure did exist. Three are in Leona McQuiston's book. One is in Carleen Daggett's book, and one is in the family line of Sandy Beasley. I'll start with Sandy's first, as it is the shortest, but perhaps the easiest to prove.

Sandy came to meet her family at our Texas Clan Uisdean, USA meeting. She brought a document, which was a hand-copied version of one filed officially at the Guilford County Courthouse. Sandy's copy was signed by the original witnesses and courtroom clerk. One signee was named Searcy and was a known friend of Andrew Jackson, based on nearly every biography of Andy. Another signee was Francis McNairy, father of John McNairy, another known friend of Jackson.

The McNairy family connection is especially important because they shared Old Gibson Cemetery with our family and they purchased their property from Walter McCuiston, (son of Robert the immigrant) and Walter's wife, Sarah, (daughter of James McCuistion, the immigrant).

Walter and Sarah were cousins. The son of this couple was named Thomas and he became known as Reedy Fork Tom. He lived on Reedy Fork Creek and had a ford or bridge there, which was used as the escape route by General Nathanael Greene, after the famous Battle of Guilford Courthouse, March 15, 1781.

The McCuiston Bridge story is supported by Cornwallis' records, by the writings of the great North Carolina historian, Caruthers, and by the current administrators of the battlefield, who pointed out the path to McCuiston Bridge, appropriately named McCuiston Road, to a group of family members, when we held our annual meeting in Greensboro.

The bridge has been written of in many other places too, but these three instances seem to remove any doubt about its existence and use.

There are two other points to be made about the bridge. A Reverend Sam Houston, some type of uncle or great uncle to Texas Sam Houston, used the Reedy Fork McCuiston Bridge twice, on the day of the battle, according to his own diary.

Also, after the war, someone named Andrew Jackson was made "overseer of the road from the Reedy Fork Bridge to the Widow Flack's place", according to Guilford Co. legal documents. The Widow Flack was Jane McCuistion, daughter of James the immigrant, making her Reedy Fork Tom's aunt.

Andrew Jackson 1767-1821

Hero of the War of 1812 President of the United States

Andrew Jackson's genealogy and even his birthplace are both glossed over by most historians as they are each in contention.

He may have been born in 1767 in either the home of the McCamey family, or the home of Crawford family. In either case, the woman of the house was a Hutchinson girl, descended from Jean Moody, who was descended from Jean McCuistion. Jackson was raised in the Crawford home. Other theories say he was actually born at sea and one historian lists 8 different places where he may have been born.

What is not in contention is that he spent some of his youth in Martinville, which is now part of Greensboro, NC. There he was known to many who were also associates of the McCuistion family, and he is said by a few sources to have been related to Ann Moody McCuistion.

Ann is reported to have said that Jackson came to her home, just before the arrival of Lord Cornwallis, to help her hide a keg of gold, part of a larger treasure left behind in the will of Alexander McCuistion.

Andrew Jackson Genealogy

Jackson's father was also named Andrew Jackson and his grandfather was named Hugh, and lived at Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland (N.I.). These men are said, in the book The Ulster Jacksons to have come from the line of Richard Jackson and his wife Mary McRandall, who lived in Coleraine, N.I., the port many McUisdeans left Ireland from. In Scotland, Richard was reportedly a caretaker of horses for the McDonalds of Keppoch, and they are one origin of the name McRandall. One possibility is that Richard met Mary while working for her family. They met on the Solway Firth. One island in the Solway River is Hestan Island! The couple moved to Ireland where the Jackson family became landlords for much of the land in the Bann River Valley, where our family lived. Jackson's mother was Elizabeth Hutchinson. Her family also lived in the Bann Valley and at times in Carrickfergus. Her mother was Jean Moody who inherited part of the McCuistion treasure and married a Hutchinson, most likely named Robert. Jean Moody's mother was Jean McCuistion, who married Thomas Moody of Aghadowey, located just below Coleraine. Jean was the daughter of Benjamin, who apears to be a brother to Robert, James, Thomas, and Alexander McCuist(i)on.

There can be no doubt that this is the McCuiston Bridge being spoken of. Some say it was another Andrew Jackson that oversaw this road, however, there is absolute proof that the future president was living in the area shortly after the war, by his own writings. The area was known, then, as Martinville, and was home to the courthouse and the families of McCuistion, McCuiston, Caldwell, McNairy, Rankin, Holland, Nelson, Denny, and other recognizable names.

The McNairy family lived next to the McCuistion family and right on the edge of the battlefield. Andy was a life-long associate of John McNairy, and he worked at a store belonging to Searcy, in Martinville.

The document owned by Sandy Beasley was originally filed by Ann Moody, swearing that she was the wife of Thomas McCuistion and also the granddaughter of Benjamin McCuistion. Sandy told me that it was the tradition of her family line that when the treasure was taken to Texas, it was with the understanding that Robert McCuistion, Ann's son and keeper of the treasure, would make way for Sandy's line to settle in Texas using the treasure money. She seemed to say that there was some hard feelings between the family lines over this, after Robert gave the treasure away to Sam Houston to help finance Texas war debts.

Another reference to the treasure, and one that ties in with Sandy's story, is a tale taken from Leona McQuiston's book on our family. On page 332, Leona says "Some time later when there was an activity to restore old estates to the descendants, some of the family got together to see what could be done about the one mentioned here." Leona had just been talking about the treasure of Alexander McCuistion, partially held by Ann Moody McCuistion, so she could have meant nothing but that there was an "activity" to restore a rightful share of the treasure money to "some of the family". This coincides with Sandy's story.

What this activity was, we can only guess, but it indicates that there was enough of a treasure to worry about its distribution, that Ann Moody took it seriously enough to have a legal document filed concerning her ancestry, and that Sandy's line and "some of the family" remembered it well.

Before we go any further, let's recap what we know. It seems that several members of our family had recollection of the treasure's existence. Names associated with

Andrew Jackson appear on the legal document prepared by Ann Moody McCuistion to indicate her relationship to Thomas McCuistion and to Benjamin McCuistion, and according to tradition, she did this to protect her involvement with the treasure. The McCuiston and McCuistion families intermarried and lived close to each other, to the battlefield, to the McNairy's, and to McCuiston Bridge, an historically recorded landmark of Guilford Co.

Jackson is reported to have said the gold weighed 80 pounds. Texas land was eventually given in trade for it and these hints help us place Ann Moody's share of gold at about $25,000, in money of the day.

Carleen Daggett came from the line of Robert McCuistion and apparently heard the story of the gold from her father. She also saw some documents to support our story and she points to 10,000 acres of Texas land that Robert received for the treasure and gives the deed number at the Robertson County Courthouse, in Texas, for the land.

Carleen's account is the third mention of the treasure. It cannot be doubted that Carleen was an ardent supporter of this family and an avid historian. I know of some points of hers that are incorrect ? particularly concerning Andrew Jackson. However, she does say that Andy received his inheritance from his mother's side, not from his Irish grandfather, Hugh. This has now been supported by three separate and very authoritative figures.

The curator of the Hermitage museum, in Nashville, TN, says she has read evidence that this is the case. Professor Rik Booraem, of Rutgers University, wrote one of the more current, and most complete biographies on Jackson's youth. In it he says plainly that he believes

Elizabeth Jackson buried a small treasure under the dirt floor of her cabin, and after her death Andy dug up the gold for his inheritance.

Booream hadn't heard our story, yet, when he wrote this, but it seems quite coincidental that, according to our tradition, Andy help Ann Moody bury her share of the treasure shortly after his mother may have buried her share. Both shares were hidden, one in a creek, one under a dirt floor.

The third authoritative source is D.J. McCartney, who wrote the book The Ulster Jacksons under the guidance of Helen Rankin, curator of the Andrew Jackson Centre, in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland.

D.J. McCartney interviewed just about every living Jackson family in Ireland and their tradition states that Andrew Jackson descended from Richard Jackson of the Bann Valley. He also says there is absolutely no proof that Andrew Jackson ever inherited anything from his Irish grandfather, Hugh, or for that matter from any other source in Ireland!

Two Jackson museum curators and two Jackson biographers all seem to support our source for the treasure, not the conventional one given. I have spoken or emailed with these people. I emailed many times with Booream and shared our story. He asked question after question and finally said that we seem to have a valid story, which does not conflict with any proven Jackson history. I emailed with the curator of the Hermitage, after touring that museum, and I met, personally, with Helen Rankin, in Carrickfergus, and toured the museum, there, too.

Another Jackson biographer was James Parton, who wrote his book right after Jackson's death and who interviewed many people in North Carolina and Tennessee, who knew Jackson personally.

Parton says that the Hutchinson sisters came to America with a "considerable" amount of wealth. Back in the Bann Valley of Northern Ireland, lived William McQuiston, who happened to be wed to Mary Hutchinson. In a legal document her brothers' wealth was described as "considerable". Her brothers' names were James, Robert, and John.

John Hutchinson was the name of the executor or witness to Alexander McCuistion's will.

Although it is sometimes given as Cyrus, I believe a Robert Hutchinson was very likely the father of Andy's mother, Elizabeth Jackson. This can be shown by a naming convention often used by the Scotch-Irish in which the first son was named for the paternal grandfather, the second for the maternal grandfather, and the third for the father.

Andrew Jackson, the third son, was named for his father, Andrew. His oldest brother, Hugh, was named for the paternal grandfather. This leaves the second son, Robert, being named for the maternal grandfather - in this case, Robert Hutchinson.

William and Mary (Hutchinson) McQuiston were contemporaries of Elizabeth Jackson and company. What the actual connection of all these folks was is unknown, but certainly worth consideration and contemplation. All came from the same small area of Ireland, along the Bann River, and all connect both the Hutchinson and McUisdean families to "considerable" wealth.

Professor Booraem, who wrote the book Young Hickory, also places the Jacksons in Guilford Co. before the battle, staying with relatives. Our tradition says they were in Guilford Co. staying, at times, with the McCuistions. Andy's friend was John McNairy, next door neighbor to Thomas and Ann McCuistion.

The McNairy family has its own tradition of Andrew Jackson living with them for awhile.

On the opposite side of the McCuistion farm was the house of David Caldwell, and his wife Rachel Craighead. Rachel's sister, Nancy, was the best friend of Elizabeth Jackson, back in the Waxhaws. This is written about in nearly every Jackson biography. The Caldwells lived next to the McCuistions and have their own tradition of Andrew Jackson being at their home.

Another Craighead sister was wed to one of the Crawford boys in whose house Jackson was raised, if not born. Mrs. Crawford was Jean (also given as Jane or Jenny) Hutchinson, daughter of Jean (Moody) Hutchinson, daughter of Jean (McCuistion) Moody.

Another Craighead sister wed Patrick Calhoun but died giving birth to twins. Later, Patrick married Martha Caldwell, niece of David and Rachel, and by her he fathered John C. Calhoun, the man who would become Andrew Jackson's vice-president and enemy.

There seems to be an abundance of evidence that Jackson knew some if not many McCuistions. From his oversight of the McCuiston Bridge to the Widow (McCuistion) Flack's home, from his friendship with John McNairy, from his mother's friendship with the Craighead girls, from the signatures of his friends on Ann Moody McCuistion's legal document, and finally, from known military records of McCuistion men serving under Jackson in Tennessee, and elsewhere during the Creek Indian Wars.

In addition, we have Booream's contention that Jackson was in Guilford Co. before the big battle, and we have a document that Doug McCuistion found in the Guilford

Library showing a fund-raising effort by local historians, a few years back, to specifically preserve "McCuistion's Mill and Andrew Jackson's racing paths."

I like to apply a simple rule when I do my research. If we have several official, semi-official, or circumstantial proofs of a point, we only need one proof to be true in order for the spirit of the story to be true (at least in substance if not in every minute detail).

In this case we have several proofs listed here and probably as many more not listed because of their extremely complex nature.

Another rule I like to apply is that if there is no other known alternative theory, then the only existing one, whether it is from family tradition or not, at least deserves some serious consideration. In this case, not only is there no other known theory of where Jackson was in March 1781, but in fact, Rik Booream says Andy "disappears from the pages of history" and based on his research, he places Jackson in Guilford Co.

There is a story out there that Jackson stayed with his relatives, the Wilsons, and we know that the Wilsons were also related to the McCuistions. Jackson's own words say he was north of Charlotte and did not return to the Waxhaws until after Cornwallis left North Carolina, which of course was after the Guilford Battle. These words of Jackson are found in his official letters collection, one of many books I own on Jackson. In fact, I believe I own every biography on Jackson, including several obscure volumes.

I even have pages from Amos Kendall's unfinished biography of Jackson. Kendall was Jackson's speech writer and was working on a biography of Jackson, which was never finished. I copied all the pages

of it that were available, from the National Archives, in Washington, D.C. I believe there is little of significance, written in standard Jackson biographies, that I have not read and taken into account.

In addition, we have the words of Ann (Moody) McCuistion. She told Caruther's about Cornwallis taking over her home. This event was verified by none other than Lord Cornwallis, himself, in his own daily tactical war records. If Ann already had a good story to tell of Cornwallis, why would she make up the additional details of Andrew Jackson being there?

How do we know she even did tell that part of the tale? We don't.

What we know is that Carleen told that part of the story and attributed it to Ann. And we know that when Ed McCuistion visited the McCuistions of Guilford County, in 1895, he was told about how Jackson was related to Ann, and that he used to pass through her yard on the way to David Caldwell's school. This means that at least Carleen's line, and the line that stayed in Guilford, both shared the belief that Jackson was related to Ann Moody and was near her house at some point. Ed also uncovered stories of the existence of the treasure. This means that Sandy Beasley's line, Carleen's line, and the line of those who stayed in Guilford County all support the treasure story.

In Leona's book is also found the fourth "proof" of the treasure. On page 331, under the bio of Thomas McCuistion, husband of Ann, and son of James, the immigrant, Leona tells how a courier's note, taken by a governor describes the will and the treasure of Alexander McCuistion, and its relationship to the household of Thomas and Ann (Moody) McCuistion.

In the mention of the will, John Hutchinson is given as the executor. The "children of Hugh Fleming in Ireland" are given as some of the recipients. Alexander McCuistion is said to be "at the sign of the rising sun in Red Made lane near the Hemitage" and he is said to have "died four or five years ago and left no lawful issue". He was also said to have left part of "his estate to the children of Thomas Moody, at present in North Carolina". Also, we have "John Hutchinson, at the three Mariners at Wapping Old Stairs . . . supposed to be . . . executor to the said McCuistion."

A separate website, on which Thomas Moody is mentioned, says he was born in Aghadowey, Northern Ireland. In Leona's book, she says he married Jean McCuistion, daughter of Benjamin McCuistion of Derry County, Northern Ireland. Aghadowey is in Derry County. Nearby is Dungiven where a few McCuistion/McQuiston men are known to have come from. Nearby is also Boveva where Isabel Crelon, wife of John McCuistion, was born. Nearby is Newton-Stewart, home to the Calhoun family, and the place where Thomas Moody and Jean McCuistion were married according to Leona McQuiston's book, and based on Ed McCuistion's research.

Also nearby is Lislane, where William and Mary (Hutchinson) McQuiston lived, along with her brothers, James, Robert, and John Hutchinson.

Finally, nearby is Coleraine where the family of Andrew Jackson held sway as landlords of much of the Bann River Valley.

When "some of the family" was trying to restore their share of the treasure, a reference was made to a place in Ireland as Ag______. Leona conjectured this meant Aghadowey.

I went to Aghadowey. In fact, I went to Dungiven, Boveva, NewtonStewart and a bunch of other familyrelated places in Northern Ireland. In the Aghadowey Cemetery I saw both Hutchinson and Jackson graves within an arm's reach of each other. Nearby were Rankin graves.

The Rankins were very close and intermarried with the McCuistions. Ann Moody McCuistion went to the Rankin home to pray during the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Her husband, Thomas, was on the run with David Caldwell, as both had a price on their heads. No doubt, British bounty hunters were after them for the reward.

Again, before we go any further, it seems like there is enough evidence, circumstantial and not, that these families in Guilford County came from the Bann River Valley. Most came by way of the Susquehanna settlements in northern Maryland and southeastern Pennyslvania.

The Jackson family controlled Coleraine. Londonerry, Dungiven, Aghadowey, Lislane, Boveva, and Newton-Stewart are all within a very short drive. There seems to be enough evidence that these people all knew each other long before immigrating to America.

There seems to be evidence that some type of will existed for Alexander McCuistion, which placed him at the sign of the Rising Sun near the Hermitage and that John Hutchinson was associated with his will, and was found at the Three Mariners Inn, at Wapping Old Stairs, in London, England.

I did some very extensive research on this. The Rising Sun and the Three Mariners Inn were two inns in the dock section of London known as Wapping Old Stairs. The Rising Sun Inn still exists today and is near Hermitage Road, near Wapping Old

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